Bareli's in Secaucus makes a fantastic first impression. The restaurant sits on a busy route with…read moreeasy access in and out, and the parking lot is large enough to accommodate many vehicles. The interior is visually impressive: elegant table linens, comfortable leather chairs, and a dining room that looks polished and upscale. When we arrived, what appeared to be the owner was greeting guests at the entrance. Since he was welcoming everyone and dressed differently from the rest of the staff, we assumed he was the owner. It was a great touch and immediately raised our expectations. Unfortunately, the experience did not fully match that first impression. We started with drinks: a glass of wine for me and an Old Fashioned for my wife. As happens too often in restaurants, the stronger drink was automatically assumed to be mine, and the drinks were delivered incorrectly. It's a small detail, but one that reflects attention--or lack of it. Bread arrived quickly, followed soon after by the food. I ordered the gnocchi with meat sauce. The dish was acceptable, but nothing extraordinary. My wife ordered the house seafood salad, which was very good--fresh, flavorful, and easily the best dish we had that night. Our waiter spoke limited English. Once he realized we also spoke his language, the service became noticeably more relaxed and somewhat overly familiar. He immediately tried to guide us toward the most expensive items on the menu. When I declined coffee after dinner, he responded by saying something along the lines of: "Well, that's your choice, but the coffee here is very good," which felt unnecessary. We also had a small issue with the Old Fashioned garnish. The orange peel looked unusual, so we asked for the drink to be replaced. The waiter did replace it, though he first tried to explain that what we thought were worms were simply marks on the fruit peel. For dessert we ordered the tiramisu, which the waiter promoted heavily as the best dessert to try. Unfortunately, it didn't deliver. Instead of the classic layered presentation, it arrived more like a cup full of cream with a few pieces of soaked bread and very little coffee flavor. The issue was not just the dessert itself, but the expectations created when it was described. Bareli's is a beautiful restaurant with a great location and atmosphere, but the service details and execution didn't quite match the level suggested by the setting.

This should have been a 5 star review and I wish it was. Next time, I'll be updating to a 5, I'm…read moresure of it. We walked in to a beautifully decorated waiting area and were seating quickly. You could hear the live music playing and it was perfect. Our waiter Nathan R., was welcoming and attentive. The dirty martini was made perfectly and the hand stuffed blue cheese olives were a nice touch over the pre stuffed jar ones. To start we ordered the Burrata Salad. It was delicious. All the ingredients worked well together. For the second course we were floating between the Black Spaghetti and the Lobster Ravioli Special. We wound up going with the special and it was the move. The black inked ravioli, had chunks of lobster inside and hit nicely with the "angry sauce" on top. That bread helped clean that plate up nice. For the mains: 20oz Bone In NY Strip with sautéed spinach. Perfectly cooked to my liking and I loved that it was pre sliced for me. Spinach was lightly oiled and a perfect amount of garlic. Salmon Special - Pumpkin seed crusted with butternut squash. The plate was beautifully decorated and looked fantastic, but as soon as we cut into the salmon it was raw. It was a huge piece of salmon. So I'm sure that's what happened. Picture shown is the under cooked one that was taken back. I did not get a picture of the next. The manager saw immediately as my wife cut into it and we didn't have to say anything. He took the plate back and began making another. The dish came out and it was definitely well done this time. The piece of salmon was a lot smaller than the first. I'm sure it was to cut the cooking time down and get it out asap. The meal was fantastic. Just wish we were able to eat together. It happens. For dessert: Espresso Martini - Perfect. No baileys, 3 beans. Pistachio gelato - fantastic Zeppole - There were 3 different sauces for each one. It was amazing. Our waiter Nathan and the manager were extremely apologetic. They even came out with a complimentary limoncello spirit as we were settling up. I can't wait to dine here again to give Bareli's the 5 star it deserves.

I hosted a bridal shower at Sorellina and highly recommend for your next event!…read more Nicole, the Events Manager, was very responsive and easy to work with. All of the staff members were friendly and attentive, especially the bartender! The food was served hot, fresh, and all of my guests left full and happy! The space fit 30 of us perfectly. Excited to dine here again in the future!

Came in for a couple of drinks before dinner. The cocktails were absolutely delicious! We sat…read moreoutside and it was cozy, tidy and comfortable. The service was a little unorganized and slow, but I think it was just because it was the first nice day in a while and the place was packed. Definitely would come back!

went for dinner. Reservation system was a little difficult. Restaurant was pretty empty despite…read moresystem saying booked . food and service was good.

came here for happy hour & I think this spot is great for drinks + oysters. The other happy hour…read moremenu items are TINY. You only get 3 pieces per order!! Since we were still hungry, we did order off of the dinner menu as well. The coq au vin was delicious, felt very traditional and the red wine sauce was delicious. this is all to say that I would come back because the drinks were really good, oysters amazing, and service was great BUT I would eat food beforehand, which is why I had to give the 4/5 stars

We came on a Friday evening and were pleasantly surprised that it wasn't too crowded. The…read morerestaurant easily accommodated to a large group, making it a great choice for group dinners. The atmosphere was cozy with dim lighting, and although the restaurant was lively, the noise level was just right for conversation. Service was friendly and attentive, and all of our dishes arrived quickly and at the perfect temperature. The octopus and seafood paella were the standout of the night--perfectly cooked, tender, and packed with flavor. The sangria was also refreshing and paired well with the meal. It was nice that they gave out a shot of drink on the house at the end. Overall, it was a great dining experience with good food, great service, and a comfortable atmosphere. Definitely a spot I'd visit again.

This place is a must try!!! If you are around make sure you…read morestop by! Ambiance is incredible, the service is fantastic.. since we stepped in till the moment we left the hospitality was priority, Fabiola was our bartender/ server, gave us great recommendations on food, we got the octopus and the goat cheese with mushrooms and we loved it, octopus was crispy on the outside and tender inside... I will definitely come back again!!! Desert was delicious too and perfectly matched with the chocolate martini!!! Thank you for the experience and hospitality!!!

Our 2nd visit and the food and service have been excellent! Our daughter studies at Stevens and…read morethis is a short walk away from the campus.

Too many mice on the dining room floor!! I used to come here all the time because Bin 14 has some…read moreof the best wine in Hoboken. Unfortunately, during my last visit, I saw mice all over the restaurant floor, including several crawling around my feet. What was most concerning was the lack of concern from the staff. It seemed as though mice running around the dining area was being treated as normal there. I'm disappointed because I genuinely liked this place, but I won't be returning. It's far too expensive to spend that much money while worrying about rodents crawling on my shoes.

One of my favorites liquor store. They have so many options…read morethat you can't find in most places. I love the fact that they have a bar area, the service is hit or miss with timing but always friendly.

Surprisingly, I really enjoyed myself at the tasting bar. At first, I was a little hesitant to be…read moredrinking inside a store but it was a fun night out. First, they have a parking lot which is a big plus for North Bergen. They are located on the first floor of the Avalon so ample spots. Second, they have a 6 panel big screen so great for catching a game. There are a bunch of high top tables and some seats at the small bar. Super casual atmosphere with a couple of regulars at the bar. Beer selection is awesome. Wine selection is good too and stored in a temperature controlled fridge. They also have a cocktail list and great liquor available like Hendricks gin and Bulleit Rye. Lastly, they have a bunch of boards games and we had a blast with the Taboo and Rotten Apples. They don't serve food but you can have something delivered or bring your own. Definitely stop by before going out or for a night cap after dinner.

The food here is excellent (seafood always fresh and expertly prepared) and if you are seated at a…read moretable, the service is great! However, I made the mistake of sitting at the bar (I'd done this once before and forgotten what an unpleasant experience it was). Chilly doesn't even come close to describing the bartenders (both). We thought it was just us but we saw it extended to the other patrons too. It's disappointing as the spot is great, has delicious drinks and food. But I was really put off by the indifferent attitude. Needless to say we left for SRO (excellent cocktail lounge and everyone is very welcoming and professionally warm).

Cool spot in Hoboken for drinks and seafood. There's a bar, some high top seating, a few tables and…read moreoutdoor seating in the front of the restaurant. There's an extensive cocktail list and lots of great wines. The menu is heavy on the seafood but there are also some meat options. We were happy with everything we got. My favorite was the salmon with rice and snap peas. All of the flavors worked so well together.

IB is a nice little (but not so little) champagne bar tucked away in the fancy part of American…read moreDream Mall. It's surprisingly calm and fancy forward, and it's honestly nice to have a spot where you can actually sit down and enjoy a proper drink in the middle of a gigantic mall, where there is still some natural light to be had. The cocktails were excellent, the champagne list was great, and the tiny single-serve bottles of Moët, each with their own little ice bucket, made sure I always got the proper amount of bubbles in each chilled glass. You can even splurge on caviar if you're feeling fancy. It's the ideal place to take a break between sprees at Prada and Hermès (kidding) but mostly just to escape the noise of the rest of the mall. You'd never guess this place is in the same building as an amusement park and a water park.

Spent an afternoon at the champagne bar at American Dream - Isola Bella is a true gem right in the…read moreluxury section of the mall! We started with shrimp cocktail and oysters and eventually got the caviar set up which came with little toasts, white sauce (like a creme fraiche), and capers. It was perfect for sharing. Lindsey and Judith really made this a great experience - I'll definitely be back!